Maine's College Graduates: Where They Go and Why. Finding Maine's Future Workforce (Revisited)

Silvernail, David L.; Woodard, Brianne L.

Center for Education Policy, Applied Research, and Evaluation

In the knowledge-based economy of today, training and retaining a college educated workforce is crucial to the vitality of Maine. Approximately one-half of Maine's high school graduates who go on to college leave the State to do so. A previous study, "Maine's College Graduates: Where They Go and Why" (2003), looked at the factors that influenced where Maine residents go to college and where they ultimately live and work. The current study, "Maine's College Graduates: Where They Go and Why (Revisited)", replicates the previous study with a different cohort in order to determine if the findings are indeed consistent and generalizable to a broader population of Maine's college graduates. In addition, it provides discussions of some policy recommendations that may help Maine retain a more educated workforce in the future. The survey entitled Higher Education Survey 2004 was completed by a sample of Maine residents who had earned a college degree in 1997 or 1999. A comparison of useable returns with survey returns from the 2003 study, which focused on those who received a degree in 1998, indicated that the groups surveyed were equivalent. Therefore, for this analysis, the three groups of respondents were combined, resulting in research findings based on over 1,780 college graduates. Findings indicate that Maine needs a comprehensive long-range plan for retaining a college-educated workforce. This plan should include steps to better market Maine's colleges and universities, provide support for more Centers of Excellence programs, and provide greater financial assistance to students. An equally important part of this plan should include increasing employment opportunities within the State, as well as encouraging greater cultural diversity and social opportunities. (Contains 10 tables and 6 figures.) [This report was prepared for the Finance Authority of Maine.]